Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis)

Considering your symptoms: Eczema is more than what we see. Relieving the burden of itch is essential. Successful treatment requires both improvement in rash and itch. Your input is vital to achieving this goal. 

Urgent new patient visits for Eczema:

• If you are a new patient and are experiencing an eczema flare, we will expedite your new patient appointment. 
• Appointments available in as little as a few days after we receive your referral.
• We take pride in giving you the urgent care and attention your eczema needs, so you don’t have to visit an urgent care while waiting months for your dermatology visit.

Urgent work-in visits for established patients: If you are an established patient and are having an eczema flare, we can work you into the schedule to address it.

Sophisticated treatments tailored to meet your goals. There have never been better options to help you control your eczema.   

Learn more about Eczema (atopic dermatitis)

Eczema is a complex genetic immune disease resulting in inflammation in the skin that results in a defective protective skin barrier. Without this protective skin barrier, patients with eczema are more sensitive to the outside environment leading to more irritation, itch and inflammation. This also causes moisture loss leading to excessive skin dryness. Eczema is a cycle The classic age of onset for eczema is in childhood, although it can onset later in life.

There is a common misconception that children with eczema will “grow out” of the disease, however, this is not entirely accurate. Some children continue to have eczema into adulthood. For some children, the disease can become dormant, leaving them without symptoms for an extended period of time, but it can resurface later in life. Eczema tends to have periods of flaring and periods of remission, but the overall course of the disease is chronic.

While the cause of eczema is genetic, it also has triggers. These are distinct. A trigger is not a root cause, and patients can often go through an endless spiral of trying to eliminate all triggers to address the root cause. While each individual has their own set of triggers, there are some common ones:

• Stress: One of the most common triggers is stress. Stress stimulates our immune system, which thus stimulates our immune disease causing worsening of our eczema. This worsening of eczema can, in turn, cause us more stress. It is a vicious cycle. Stress is not always manageable, but being mindful of stressful situations and using healthy coping mechanisms can help. 

• Season Changes: During the winter months, we lose sunlight’s natural anti-inflammatory properties, and we become very dry. This can lead to worsening of eczema. Fall and spring can cause flaring of eczema especially in patients that also suffer from seasonal allergies. Summer can cause worsening in patients with eczema as sweat can be a trigger. 

• Injury: Injuring the skin can cause worsening of eczema. This is why the act of scratching an itch, while temporarily giving relief, actually causes eczema to worsen. 

• Dyes/Fragrances: Certain dyes and fragrances can trigger eczema. Ask your eczema provider for recommended products to use. 

• Others: Food allergies, nickel allergies, and others contribute to the vast amount of things that can trigger worsening of eczema. 

• Infantile Atopic Dermatitis: rash that occurs on the skin of infants

• Flexural Atopic Dermatitis: A classic form of eczema that appears in the “flexural” areas such as the inner elbows and/or behind the knees. 

• Dyshidrotic Eczema: A type of eczema that causes itchy fluid filled bumps on the hands and/or feet.

• Nummular Eczema: a type of eczema resulting in coin-shaped lesions with scale, often misdiagnosed as psoriasis. 

• Neurodermatitis: “itch without rash”, this type of atopic dermatitis does not present with a rash, but with diffuse itchiness. 

• Prurigo Nodularis: A type of AD that forms itchy nodules on the skin

• Hand Dermatitis: Commonly seen in the winter, this presents with dry, cracked hands. 

There have never been more diverse or sophisticated treatment options to control eczema.

• Topicals: Mediations such as lotions, creams, and ointments that are applied to patches of eczema. Traditional ones include topical steroids, and more sophisticated options include many non-steroid agents. 
• Phototherapy: this is where a narrow band of UVB light is directed onto the skin to reduce eczema. It mimics the benefits of the sun in a controlled setting.
• Oral Small Molecules: These range from older medications that act more broadly on the immune system (Methotrexate, Cyclosporine, and others) to newer, more targeted agents offering powerful itch and rash reduction.  
• Biologics: The most sophisticated treatments ever created for eczema, these are injectable medications that can deliver significant improvement in itch and rash.

To discuss treatment options with our provider, please schedule a visit.